Rotherham United turned down bids for players as transfer window drew to a close

Young striker Josh Kayode was a wanted man and clubs also came calling for Dan Barlaser, Ben Wiles and Kieran Sadlier.

The Millers brought in Sunderland striker Will Grigg on Tuesday’s deadline day and allowed centre-half Curtis Tilt to go to Wigan Athletic.

They also kept hold of talisman striker Michael Smith who had been tracked by several other sides throughout the summer.

“There was interest in Barlaser, interest in Sadlier, interest in Wiles,” manager Paul Warne confirmed.

“That interest is a good thing. It shows what a good group we’ve got. I’m pleased that we convinced JJ to stay. More clubs phoned up about him than anyone.”

The Advertiser understand that midfielders Barlaser and Wiles were the target of Championship clubs while a big League One team made a move for winger Sadlier.

Championship teams Middlesbrough, Cardiff City and Bristol City had all coveted Smith but in the end there were no concrete offers and the centre-forward remains part of Rotherham’s push for third-tier promotion.

“I didn’t hear anything about Smudge, which I find pretty amazing,” Warne said. “The reason there were no bids isn’t to do with Smudge’s ability. There just hasn’t been as much money floating about in the market at our level in this window as there has been in previous seasons.

“Everyone could appreciate we weren’t going to let Smudge go for £500,000. That was never happening. Clubs knew he would cost more than they could spend. Previously, they would have come in and offered £1 million which might have gone up to £2m.”

Smith, a superb servant of the Millers since his arrival from Bury in January 2018, is in the last year of his contract at AESSEAL New York Stadium and turned down a new deal earlier this year.

Rotherham are without a match this weekend as their trip to Lincoln City fell victim to international call-ups. They travel to Doncaster Rovers in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday before resuming their league campaign at home to Fleetwood Town next Saturday.